Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Development

Description and Outcomes

Effective November 11, 2015, this program will no longer be accepting enrollments or reentries. An alternative program may be available/recommended. Check with an Admissions Advisor.

The Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Development program is a nonlicensure program designed to prepare you to work in early childhood settings with children from birth through age 8. Foundation coursework concentrates on growth and development, applied theory, ethics and professionalism, children in the inclusive classroom, health and nutrition, and lesson planning and implementation.

The course curriculum blends theory and practice, and provides a general education foundation in ethics, critical thinking, and communication skills to support roles and responsibilities in diverse learning environments.

Program Length

The Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Development program consists of a minimum of 180 quarter credit hours. If you are enrolled at a Maine campus and choose the student teaching option, you may be required to complete up to 192 quarter credit hours, which includes 18 quarter credit hours of student teaching. Upon successful completion of the program, you will be awarded a bachelor of science degree.

Accelerated Master's Degree Options

If you are interested in earning a master's degree in environmental policy, human services, legal studies, psychology, or public administration, consider an accelerated master's degree option. Refer to the Progression Requirements section for details.

Program Outcomes

Discipline-Specific Outcomes

Knowledge Base: Demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge of child development and learning theory in early childhood settings.

Child, Family, and Community Relationships: Develop, plan, and implement strategies for building family and community relationships.

Observation and Assessment: Evaluate developmentally appropriate observation and assessment to inform instructional planning for children and their families.

Ethics and Professionalism: Demonstrate use of professional standards, ethical values, critical inquiry, and advocacy practices of the early childhood field.

Individuality and Cultural Diversity: Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of individuality and cultural diversity of children and their families to learning and development.

General Education Literacies and Professional Competencies

In addition to the discipline-specific outcomes, general education literacies and professional competencies are integrated throughout your academic program. You can review the general education literacies and professional competencies associated with your academic program in the undergraduate School of General Education section of this Catalog.

Program Availability

Policies

Admissions Requirements

You must meet the below admissions requirements in addition to Kaplan University's general requirements.

If you enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Development program at a campus in the state of Maine, you must pass a background check by the end of the first term. If you do not pass a background check or fail to complete a background check by the end of the first term of enrollment, you will be withdrawn from the program and will not owe any financial obligation to the University except for the application fee, which is nonrefundable. In addition to the background check conducted during the first term, if you choose to be placed at a student teaching site, you will be subject to a second background check prior to that placement.

Progression Requirements

In addition to the background check identified in the admissions requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Development, if you are enrolled in the program at a campus in the state of Maine and wish to complete the student teaching option, you must complete an additional criminal background check prior to placement at a student teaching site. If you are unable to pass a criminal background check prior to placement at a student teaching site, you will be dismissed from the program.

In addition, if you choose to complete the student teaching option, you must successfully pass specified professional competency exams prior to being eligible for placement at a student teaching site.

Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams

You are responsible for understanding the requirements of certification, state board, or national board licensing exams. Such requirements may change during the course of your program. You are not automatically certified in any way upon program completion. Although certain programs are designed to prepare you to take various certification and licensing exams, Kaplan University cannot guarantee you will be eligible to take these exams or become certified. Your eligibility may depend on your work experience, completion of education and/or degree requirements, not having a criminal record, meeting other licensure or certification requirements, or the program or the University itself having appropriate accreditation or licensure.

If you are enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Development program at a Maine campus and are interested in seeking state of Maine early childhood and/or special education teacher certifications, you must successfully complete any required student teaching hours and additional specified electives to meet state certification eligibility requirements. Some certification options require an additional term of full-time student teaching for eligibility.

Contact the Kaplan University, Maine Department Chair if you are interested in pursuing certifications in the state of Maine. For additional information on certification options and requirements, contact the State of Maine Department of Education:

Kentucky Students

Please be advised that this program is NOT accredited in Kentucky by the Education Professional Standards Board and is NOT recognized for initial, additional, or renewal of certification or salary enhancement (rank change) for P-12 educators in Kentucky. For more information, please visit the Education Professional Standards Board’s website at www.epsb.ky.gov/certification/outofstate.asp.